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CHAPTER 5. Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords,

and wine was before the thousand. While drinking, Belshazzar the king said, in the taste of the wine, to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, that the king, and his lords, his wives, and his concubines, might drink from them. And the silver and golden vessels were brought, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple of God in Jerusalem; and the king, and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. And they drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. Did you see them being taken? But see their strength, even after being captured and placed in the idol-temple. Let him act according to his own judgment. Why to this man also? Because of sins these things were taken; they paid the penalty. What was the end, even after the signs? how did those suffer nothing, but the king alone? For he gave the command, he was the cause. 56.223 They praised, it says, the gods of gold and of silver. For what reason was this difference of gods among them? The devil, wishing to deprive them of all pardon, often commanded them to be made of wood, so that they might not even have the preciousness of the material as a defense. They sang hymns to them. See God nowhere beginning, but following. For what reason did the punishment follow swiftly, and at that very hour? So that the effects of the former miracles would not be undone, with God being insulted through the vessels, he wished to insult men. And see what happens. He wanted vessels; and in that very hour, the punishment. For what reason is the prophet not sent to accuse, but the knuckles of a hand? So that the astonishment might be greater. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote opposite the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the knuckles of the hand that wrote. Add also that it was evening. The swelling from the drunkenness had to be put down. Then all those present had to learn that he was paying the penalty. Why did he not immediately send a thunderbolt from heaven? So that again his servant also might be glorified; so that he might hear why he suffers these things. For Daniel, having entered, does not only interpret the writing, but also delivers long and advisory speeches, not as to benefit him, but as to make the others better. Then Daniel came in before the king. And the king said to Daniel: Are you that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? As if astounding him and putting him in a difficult position, he says these things. But by saying, "Whom the king my father brought from the captivity of Judah," he was speaking these words against himself, if he was everywhere in need of captives. I have heard of you, that the spirit of the holy God is in you, and that watchfulness and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. And now the wise men, the magicians, the Gazarenes, the Chaldeans, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not declare to me the interpretation of this saying. And I have heard of you, that you are able to give interpretations, and dissolve doubts. Now if you can read the writing, and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in my kingdom. He confesses also the defeat of his own men, and says: Speak, and receive these things. But see the prophet, how he was downcast in the time of his father, but here nothing of the sort; but what does he say? Then Daniel answered and said before the king: Let your gift be to yourself, and give the reward of your house to another; I

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ΚΕΦΑL. Εʹ. Βαλτάσαρ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐποίησε δεῖπνον μέγα τοῖς μεγιστᾶσιν αὐτοῦ χιλίοις,

καὶ κατέναντι τῶν χιλίων ὁ οἶνος. Πίνων Βαλτάσαρ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶ πεν ἐν τῇ γεύσει τοῦ οἴνου, τοῦ ἐνεγκεῖν τὰ σκεύη τὰ χρυσᾶ, καὶ τὰ ἀργυρᾶ, ἃ ἐξήνεγκε Να βουχοδονόσορ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ πιέτωσαν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνες αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ παράκοιτοι, καὶ αἱ παλλακαὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἠνέχθησαν τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ τὰ χρυσᾶ, ἃ ἐξήνεγκε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἔπινον ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνες αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ παράκοιτοι αὐτοῦ, καὶ αἱ παλλακαὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἔπινον οἶνον, καὶ ᾔνεσαν τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς χρυσοῦς, καὶ ἀργυροῦς, καὶ χαλκοῦς, καὶ σιδη ροῦς, καὶ ξυλίνους, καὶ λιθίνους. Εἶδες αὐτὰ λαμ βανόμενα; Ἀλλ' ὅρα αὐτῶν τὴν ἰσχὺν, καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἁλῶναι, καὶ τεθῆναι ἐν τῷ εἰδωλείῳ. Ἔστω κατὰ γνώμην ἐκεῖνος αὐτοῦ. ∆ιὰ τί καὶ τούτῳ; ∆ιὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐλήφθη ταῦτα· ἔδωκαν δίκην. Τί τὸ πέρας καὶ μετὰ τὰ σημεῖα; πῶς οὐδὲν ἔπαθον ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλ' ὁ βασιλεὺς μόνος; Οὗτος γὰρ εἶπεν, αὐτὸς αἴτιος ἦν 56.223 Ἤνεσαν, φησὶ, τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς χρυσοῦς καὶ ἀργυροῦς. Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἡ διαφορὰ αὕτη τῶν θεῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς ἦν; Ὁ διάβολος βουλόμενος αὐτοὺς πά σης ἀποστερῆσαι συγγνώμης, πολλάκις ἐκέλευσε ξυ λίνους γενέσθαι, ἵνα μηδὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ὕλης πολυτέλειαν ἔχωσιν εἰς ἀπολογίαν. Ὕμνουν εἰς αὐτούς. Ὅρα οὐδαμοῦ τὸν Θεὸν ἄρχοντα, ἀλλ' ἑπόμενον. Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐπηκολούθησεν ἡ δίκη ταχέως, καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ; Ἵνα μὴ τὰ γενόμενα ἐκ τῶν προτέρων θαυμάτων κατα λυθῇ ὑβριζομένου τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τῶν σκευῶν, ἐβου λήθη ἄνδρας ἐνυβρίσαι. Καὶ ὅρα τί γίνεται. Ἐβουλήθη σκεύη· καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἡ τιμωρία. Τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἀποστέλλεται ὁ προφήτης ἐγκαλέσων, ἀλλὰ ἀστρά γαλος χειρός; Ὥστε μείζω γενέσθαι τὴν ἔκπληξιν. Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐξῆλθον δάκτυλοι χειρὸς ἀν θρώπου, καὶ ἔγραφον κατέναντι τῆς λαμπάδος ἐπὶ τὸ κονίαμα τοῦ τοίχου τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ βασι λέως· καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐθεώρει τοὺς ἀστραγάλους τῆς χειρὸς τῆς γραφούσης. Πρόσθες καὶ ἑσπέραν οὖσαν. Ἔδει τὴν οἴδησιν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς μέθης κατα σταλῆναι. Εἶτα ἔδει μαθεῖν τοὺς παρόντας ἅπαντας, ὅτι δίκην δίδωσιν. ∆ιὰ τί μὴ σκηπτὸν ἀφῆκεν εὐθέως ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ; Ὥστε πάλιν καὶ τὸν οἰκέτην δοξα σθῆναι τὸν αὐτοῦ· ὥστε αὐτὸν ἀκοῦσαι διὰ τί ταῦτα πάσχει. Ὁ γὰρ ∆ανιὴλ εἰσελθὼν οὐχὶ τὴν γραφὴν ἑρμηνεύει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μακροὺς ἀποτείνει λόγους, καὶ συμβουλευτικοὺς, οὐχ ὡς ὠφελήσων αὐτὸν, ἀλλ' ὡς τοὺς ἄλλους βελτίους ποιήσων. Τότε ∆ανιὴλ εἰσ ῆλθεν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασι λεὺς τῷ ∆ανιήλ· Σὺ εἶ ∆ανιὴλ, ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ἧς κατήγαγεν ὁ βασι λεὺς ὁ πατήρ μου ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας; Ὡς καταπληττόμενος αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς ἀνάγκην καθιστῶν, ταῦτά φησιν. Εἰπὼν δὲ, Ὃν ἤγαγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ πατήρ μου ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ταῦτα κατ' αὐ τοῦ τὰ ῥήματα ἔλεγεν, εἰ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων δέεται παν ταχοῦ. Ἤκουσα περὶ σοῦ, ὅτι πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἅγιον ἐν σοὶ, καὶ γρήγορσις καὶ σύνεσις καὶ σοφία πε ρισσὴ εὑρέθη ἐν σοί. Καὶ νῦν εἰσῆλθον ἐνώπιόν μου οἱ σοφοὶ, μάγοι, Γαζαρηνοὶ, Χαλδαῖοι, ἵνα τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην ἀναγνῶσι, καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν αὐτῆς γνωρίσωσί μοι· καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν τὴν σύγκρισιν τοῦ λόγου τούτου ἀναγγεῖλαί μοι. Καὶ ἐγὼ ἤκουσα περὶ σοῦ, ὅτι δύνασαι συγκρίματα συγκρῖναι, καὶ λύειν συνδέσμους. Καὶ νῦν ἐὰν δυνηθῇς ἀναγνῶναι τὴν γραφὴν, καὶ τὴν σύγκρι σιν αὐτῆς γνωρίσαι μοι, πορφύραν ἐνδύσῃ, καὶ ὁ μανιάκης ὁ χρυσοῦς ἔσται ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλόν σου, καὶ τρίτος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ μου ἄρξεις. Ὁμολογεῖ καὶ τὴν τῶν οἰκείων ἧτταν, καί φησιν· εἰπὲ, καὶ λαβὲ τάδε. Ἀλλ' ὅρα τὸν προφήτην, ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ πα τρὸς αὐτοῦ πῶς ἠθύμησεν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον· ἀλλὰ τί φησι; Τότε ἀπεκρίθη ∆ανιὴλ, καὶ εἶπεν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως· Τὸ δόμα σου σοὶ ἔστω, καὶ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς οἰκίας σου ἑτέρῳ δός· ἐγὼ